Kaidan Shepard (MR)
} - Adult (Future)= } }} |caption1= |homeworld=Earth |born=November 18, 2187 Huerta Memorial Hospital, Presidium Commons, Presidium, the Citadel |birth_name=Kaidan Anderson Shepard |died= |nickname(s)=Junior (by his friends) Kay Child Prodigy Heir of the Shepard Family The Crown Jewel of the Milky Way (Alliance News Network, Westerlund News, Future Content Corporation, Citadel NewsNet) |class=Slayer |rank(s)=Agent (2205-present) Commander (2211-present) |age=11-24 (Mass Effect: A Hero's Legacy) |species=Human |gender=Male |height=5' 1" - 5' 4" (154.9 - 163.8 cm) (child) 6' 1¼" (186.1 cm) (adult) |weight=102 lbs. (46.2 kg) (child) 194 lbs. (88 kg) (adult) |blood_type= |hair_color=Brown |eye_color=Blue |skin_color=Light |cybernetics=L3 implants |parents=John Shepard (Father) Ashley Williams (Mother) |siblings=David Shepard (Brother) Ethan Shepard (Brother) Carolyn Shepard (Sister) |relatives=General Williams † (Great-Grandfather) Mr. Williams † (Grandfather) Mrs. Williams (Grandmother) Abby Williams (Aunt) Lynn Williams (Aunt) Sarah Williams (Aunt) |status=Alive |alignment=Neutral Good |voiced_by='Colleen Clinkenbeard' (child) Eric Vale (teen) Yuri Lowenthal (adult) |portrayed_by='Chris Pine' (adult) |era(s)=Post-Reaper War era |occupation=Student, spy, information broker, Intelligence operative, liaison to the Normandy SR-2 |notable_facts= |affiliation=*Shepard family *Systems Alliance **Ascension Project **Alliance Intelligence Services ***Alliance Clandestine Service ****AIS Operations Group |mentors=John Shepard (informal) Liara T'Soni (informal) Garrus Vakarian (informal) Tali'Zorah vas Rannoch (informal) Jack (Biotics instructor) Miranda Lawson (informal) |apprentices= }} Kaidan Shepard is the eldest son of John Shepard and Ashley Williams. He is one of the main protagonists of Mass Effect: A Hero's Legacy. Born on the Citadel space station in a post-Reaper War era, he grew up during the galaxy's reconstruction effort. Because of his relationship to his famous father, Kaidan had a life of great privilege and affluence, causing him to struggle with his father's legacy and feeling pressure that was heaped upon him by others; these expectations fueled his desire to be acknowledged as his own person and not simply as Shepard’s son. In 2198 CE, when he was eleven years old, Kaidan grew up during the early stages of the Great Galactic War between the Interstellar Republic and the Yahg Empire when the yahg launched a full-scale invasion, during which he was the target of multiple kidnapping and assassination attempts. Because of the threats against his life, Kaidan and his siblings were taken care of by their aunt and grandmother while his parents led the war effort. Later, several individuals, including Dr. Liara T'Soni, received a vision in which an older Kaidan was a prominent leading figure. As the batarians wanted to dominate the galaxy for themselves, they saw Kaidan as a threat to their plans. While some initially expected him to continue the family tradition, Kaidan instead opted to join Alliance Intelligence and became one of AIS Director Miranda Lawson's top field agents. The batarians knew Kaidan as the Alliance codename Shadow, a name given to him by Balak after the youth assassinated two of the Revolutionary Order of Khar'shan's best operatives, Pranim Goccakk and Ran'gelor Craphi. At some point, he was reassigned to serve as the Intelligence liaison to the ''Normandy'' SR-2. Utilizing a mixture of stealth, firearms, hand-to-hand combat and biotic abilities, Kaidan often volunteered to lead infiltration teams to gather intel deep within the hostile Nemean Abyss. There, he disrupted the slave trade, killed a batarian warlord and was due to report back when he was captured by the extra-galactic targariums. Kaidan spent nearly a year in captivity, during which he was tortured for weeks at a time. He escaped captivity and returned to warn the Alliance and Interstellar Republic about the oncoming threat, finding himself fighting on the frontlines alongside his father. In the final battle of the war, Kaidan defeated Emperor Rudali Mashan. For his efforts, he received an honorary promotion to the rank of commander and was given new orders to report for N7 training. Biography Early life Kaidan was born one year after the Battle of Earth, in which his parents, Ashley Williams and John Shepard, both renowned soldiers in the Systems Alliance military and the Citadel Council’s two human Spectres served in the Citadel Allied Forces during the Reaper invasion that ended in a pyrrhic victory in favor of the coalition. Their victory resulted in the destruction of the Reapers and most synthetic life. While he was still in his mother's womb, Ashley and Shepard yearned to give their child a happy, normal life and planned to shelter him from the outside world as much as possible. Soon thereafter, he makes his first debut as a newborn infant being held by his mother with the first name of Kaidan, a name he shared with the late Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, an old friend of his parents who fought alongside them during the Eden Prime War. One week after his birth, he is held by his father and proclaimed that his son’s destiny was his own but that he would nevertheless be kept safe from any harm the galaxy’s horrors would try to inflict on him. He immediately became a matter of public interest, and news of the birth was spread throughout Citadel and Alliance space. In his youth, Kaidan and his younger siblings were raised mostly by Shepard, who has long since retired because of his injuries. Ashley, meanwhile, remained in the military and was promoted to the rank of captain and was unable to be at home for long, putting a strain on her relationship with her son. Several of Shepard's former squadmates from the [[w:c:masseffect:Normandy_SR-2|''Normandy]], both past and present, played a part in Kaidan's upbringing. On one snowy morning, Kaidan and his siblings rushed to greet their mother who came home for shore leave, excitedly asking her to play with them. A Hero's Legacy The Scarlet Festival Several years later, when classes at school were dismissed for the holiday, Kaidan (now age 11) along with his brothers David and Ethan were seen taking a shuttle ride home with their friends from the Tayseri Ward. David complains about getting detention again while Ethan passes the time by trying to tell jokes, though Kaidan seemed to be preoccupied with preparing for the upcoming entrance exams for junior high school and wonders what tomorrow will bring. Soon, they are warmly greeted by their maternal grandmother. When the household receives a holo-vid from their mother, the boys were ecstatic to learn she was coming home for shore leave. Great Galactic War In 2198 CE, Shepard had a vision of his son Kaidan as a tall young man standing in the middle of a large crowd of mixed species, looking to him for guidance and peace, unifying the galaxy as his father once did. Javik had a similar vision, only this time Kaidan was surrounded by what looked to be his comrades-in-arms. When Liara saw this, she saw that he was among the friends who surrounded him and supported his goals. However, when Ka’hairal Balak investigated, he was very displeased to see Shepard’s son, whom he believed that if any of his offspring rose to power, the batarians could never become the dominant power of the galaxy. After the yahg were defeated, Liara revealed that the envisioned Kaidan rising to power was the reason for the Great Galactic War. Intelligence Operative Kaidan soon graduated from high school and attended Oxford University. Upon seeing his aptitude scores, the Alliance offered him a full scholarship. He graduated early with high honors along with a dual bachelor's degree in psychology and master's in statistics. Still wanting to follow his own path, Kaidan was recruited into Alliance Intelligence and would carry out several covert operations as a field agent. During his career, his superiors assigned him to assassinate two of the Revolutionary Order of Khar'shan's best operatives, Pranim Goccakk and Ran'gelor Craphi. He interrupted a meeting involving the ROK and captured a female batarian slave trader named Fasin Dad'roba in order to gain more insight into Balak's activities in the Terminus Systems. Personality and traits Childhood .]] Kaidan’s personality is derived from both his parents, although Liara T’Soni noted that he takes more after his father than his mother. Being generally well-spoken, friendly and polite, he shows a great maturity for his age. Kaidan is also strong willed and determined like his mother; he even has a fascination of poetry. At the same time, however, Kaidan has a fierce temper similar to his mother and is quite stubborn, often causing him to not back down from an argument unless proven otherwise. Kaidan apparently doesn’t like being teased, as he finds it irritating when he’s called "junior" instead of his given name. Despite their similarities, Shepard and Kaidan differ in a number of ways: whereas Shepard grew up as an orphan, Kaidan’s family is always there for him; whereas Shepard had no friends as a child, Kaidan has many friends; whereas Shepard had to work hard to get to where he was at, Kaidan's talents come to him naturally. Kaidan has a close attachment with his parents, having great respect for his father and was even pleased to hear from Liara, Tali’Zorah and Garrus Vakarian about how he physically resembled Shepard. However, it is also shown that Kaidan has a close yet distant relationship with his mother ever since Ashley’s career as a soldier changed with her captaincy. He loves his mother and is overjoyed whenever they spend time together, but life in the military sometimes prevent Ashley from being around all the time. Although Kaidan is understanding of his often absent-mother, deep down he resents the idea of carrying on the Williams family tradition and opted to follow a different path than hers. Because of all this, Kaidan initially questioned the meaning of being a soldier due to the fact his mother’s duties kept her away from home for extended periods of time. Eventually, when Kaidan is finally exposed to the horrors of the Great Galactic War during the Scarlet Festival and realizes the sacrifices soldiers had to make, his relationship with his mother improves significantly. Despite having let go of his disdain, he openly states that he has no intention of becoming a soldier, noting that it would just be another continuation of the Williams family tradition that his mother, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandmother have followed. He opts instead to walk his own path, carrying on his father’s resolve of protecting the galaxy’s newfound era of peace he helped establish. Adulthood By the time Kaidan is 24 years of age, he is very calm and composed even under pressure whilst maintaining a strong sense of morality. Although his exceptional intellect and extensive experience make him wise, they also make Kaidan slightly vain (depending on the situation), as he notably condescendingly calls the young, hot-headed Alliance recruit Raleigh Thorndyke "son" upon first meeting the latter. However, his ability to analyze a situation, plan his next move, and follow his better judgment allows him to escape dangerous situations both before and after they occur. Thirteen years after the Great Galactic War, Kaidan still feels grateful for the presence of his surrogate aunts and uncles in his life, not just for their training, but also their love, protection and guidance. Though often contemplative, Kaidan lets such emotions smolder in his heart, reminding himself that he now has his own life to live and an important role to fulfill. While usually serious and prim, Kaidan occasionally demonstrates a dry, sarcastic sense of humor. Appearance Kaidan has a light skin complexion and dark brown hair, both of which he inherited from his mother; in addition, he has the shape of his father’s face and blue eyes. He has straight hair with one side parted on the left side of his face while the other part is banged on the right side of his forehead. As noted by Liara T'Soni, he bears a striking resemblance to his father. As an adult, Kaidan stood at an impressive 6 feet and 1-and-a-quarter inches tall and is normally seen dressed in the most expensive and impressive outfits tailored from the most rated names in fashion. Skills and abilities Powers= *'Biotics:' Having been designated as a biotic at a young age and personally trained by Jack, Kaidan can manipulate dark energy and create mass effect fields through the use of electrical impulses from the brain. |-| Abilities= *'Acrobatics:' Kaidan is very acrobatic, able flip to evade incoming attacks and cross obstacles, making him a slippery combatant if confronted. *'Genius-level Intelligence:' From a young age, Kaidan demonstrated hints of exceptional intelligence, observance and perception, showing both a keen and analytical mind on par with a salarian which aids him in biological and other scientific-related knowledge as well as solving advanced mathematical equations and outsmart Samantha Traynor when playing chess (his childhood friend Andrea Taylor even noted he could easily pass advanced placement tests without cheating). **'Expert Detective:' If suspecting something's wrong or if someone is lying to him, Kaidan utilizes his intuition to make him a highly skilled detective, capable of observation, forensic investigation, and psychological assessments, as well as both inductive and deductive reasoning of the highest caliber. **'Expert Mechanic:' As a child, he was tutored by Tali'Zorah and thus grew up highly skilled in vehicles' operations and general engineering. **'Eidetic Memory:' Kaidan has a photographic memory and perfect recall, which greatly aided him in mastering a vast array of eclectic fields to the highest level as a polymath, while also allowing him to make numerous layered references (to pop-culture, to biblical and pagan theology, to mathematics, to computer science, to famous books, and etc.), and to know seemingly random facts. *'Indomitable Will:' Kaidan, much like his father, has tremendous determination and strength of will, since he absolutely refuses to ever hunker down and give up, even when placed against seemingly insurmountable odds. He refuses to back down from a challenge, and resolves to utilize his intellectual prowess to devise complex and intricate plans, along with back-up plans, and back-up plans to his back-up plans, for good measure. *'Skilled Martial Artist:' Kaidan has some skill in aikidō, being able to beat Basileus Thanos and his gang with relative ease. When his father trained with him in hand-to-hand combat while he was 8 years old, Shepard briefly had trouble keeping up with Kaidan. |-| Weaknesses= *'Human Vulnerabilities': Kaidan's greatest weakness is that he is a human with no enhanced strength, speed, or durability, therefore making him quite vulnerable to the physical attacks of stronger and more powerful opponents, though he usually compensates for this quite well with his exceptional intellect, biotics, deception, and espionage skills. Relationships Appearances in other media Novels *''Mass Effect: A Hero's Legacy'' (First appearance) Quotes ''Mass Effect: A Hero's Legacy |-|Child= *(about his nickname)'' "My name's 'Kaidan,' not 'junior!'" *''(to his father)'' "After all, we have our memories and our feelings. And the most important thing of all is that our hearts are connected." *''(to his mother after realizing his dream)'' "The countless innocent people we are born alongside and grow up with, what it means to protect them… It all meant a lot to dad. I want to take good care of them like he did, mom. No matter who we are or where we come from, I’ll ensure dad’s dream of ensuring the peace he made for us will be preserved. I promise you." *"Yes, I changed my father. But he also changed me, my brothers and my sister. Will that be enough? Well, we'll have to wait and see, won't we?" |-|Adult= *"Great. Out of the frying pan and into the fire." *''(to Raleigh)'' "Don't believe everything you hear, son." *''(to Sabarp Ezik)'' "You'll have to excuse me if stacks of intel reports appear to be scattered all over the place. Our staff have been quite busy as of late. More than usual." *''(to a captive slaver)'' "Whatever you do, wherever you go, I'll be watching you!" Trivia *Kaidan is voiced by American actress Colleen Clinkenbeard (kid/pre-teen), along with actors Eric Vale (teen) and Doug Erholtz (young adult). *He is named after Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, an L2 biotic who accompanied his parents John Shepard and Ashley Williams during the Eden Prime War. *As mentioned before, Kaidan inherited his father’s facial features and eyes, as seen when Liara remarked that both Shepard and his son looked almost identical. *Kaidan apparently has a close bond to the ''Normandy'' crew, both past and present, as they played a part in his upbringing: **He calls Tali'Zorah vas Normandy "Aunt Tali", and freely accepts hugs from her. **Whenever he visits Tuchanka with his family, Wrex asks Kaidan to call him "Uncle Urdnot". **James Vega calls Kaidan "Little Loco", and taught him how to speak Spanish. **He refers to Garrus Vakarian as "Uncle Garrus". **Joker bought Kaidan toys and candy. **He is close to Jack, as she taught him how to effectively hone his biotic talents. **Dr. Karin Chakwas occasionally does Kaidan's medical examination. **Liara T'Soni and Miranda Lawson are Kaidan's tutors in history, science, literature and mathematics. **He is childhood friends with Jacob Taylor's daughter Andrea Taylor. **Grunt, Samara and Zaeed Massani often protected Kaidan from danger. **Kasumi Goto sometimes sneaks Kaidan cookies and pastries from the bakery shop on the Citadel, and also taught him how to speak Japanese. **He enjoys playing chess with Samantha Traynor; according to Sam, Kaidan beat her on his first try. **Steve Cortez showed Kaidan how to fly a UT-47A Kodiak drop shuttle during one of his visits; both he and Steve were later scolded by Ashley. **Javik was insistent on teaching Kaidan how to fight, although he did learn aikidō from his maternal aunt Sarah Williams. *Kaidan considers the asari to be quite attractive. *The Shadow Broker has files on Kaidan which can be accessed aboard the ''Normandy'' SR-2. Category:MarkRulez711 Category:Articles by MarkRulez711 Category:Humans Category:Characters Category:Males Category:Systems Alliance Category:Children Category:Siblings Category:Legends articles Category:Shepard family Category:Williams family Category:Biotics Category:A Hero's Legacy